| I think if you can scrape enough money together pay for first year, and if you can excel academically, in a school with a high graduation rate (93+%) and a large endowment, it should be possible to get more financial aid than was originally offered. Basically, once you're in you're a member of the community, and if you show exemplary commitment to your studies, they'll try to help you stay in. It's a risk gambit, so you have to weigh whether you think you have the ability and drive to excel, if given a chance.
For reducing expenses, one Duke econ major I met came home his first two summers and took local state-university courses, having gotten an assurance a priori that Duke would credit them, which it did, so he was able to graduate in 3.5 years. This saved about $20,000. He didn't get a full Duke education, but he got a Duke degree, and went to his home state's flagship law school. |